Venezuela condemns air raid, civilian deaths in Libya

13:56, March 21, 2011

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday condemned civilian deaths in Libya caused by the air raid carried out by Western forces.

"They are throwing bombs, and those bombs fell down on any place such as a hospital or a house. That is something imperialistic, the indiscriminate bombings," Chavez said on a TV and radio program.

In the first 24 hours of the air strike launched by France, the United States and Britain against the Libyan government troops, 48 people were killed and 150 more injured, according to Libyan media.

On Saturday Chavez said he was against the attacks, calling them "irresponsible" as they will cause more deaths in Libya. He said it was merely an excuse for the West to "control" the oil in that country.

"Who gave those countries the right to bomb Libya?" Chavez asked, adding that no country has the right to bomb another.

Britain, the United States and France launched strikes last Saturday from the air and sea against Libyan government forces after the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and protect civilians there.